Below is a petition letter to Mr Kim Hyun-Woong, head of the Ministry of Justice:

Dear Minister Kim Hyun-Woong,

On your website, you have presented the Ministry of Justices' mission statement. Part of your mission statement says that you 'will righteously respond to any crimes.... and enforce the law against any illegal act.'

We would like to ask as your justice administrators and enforcers of South Korean law, to include actively respond to the brutal dog (and cat) meat trade. This barbaric trade breeds, tortures and slaughters dogs (and cats) daily in South Korea by the hundreds of thousands. In addressing this issue in the legal area, it will also meet with your mission, which aims to institute a 'law-abiding culture where everyone is considerate of others.'

You also state that you will 'proactively protecting the socially vulnerable including low-income families, the elderly and infirm, and immigrants' and 'will establish a substantial and comprehensive system for crime victims 'and will do your best 'to help them heal.' How about including the vulnerable dogs and cats of your nation, who are completely voiceless to these crimes committed against them on a daily basis?

Furthermore, part of your role as Ministers for Justice, is to 'keep its doors open to communicate with citizens and we will keep studying and developing policies that our citizens really need.'

We implore you to also study this currently horrendous situation for dogs and cats, and develop proactive policies to ensure that this barbaric trade is stopped, and never allowed it to operate on any legal grounds whatsoever in South Korea.

Finally, your mission statement says that as a ministerial organisation, this ministry can be 'your trustworthy companion.' What about also being the trustworthy companion to the rights of these defenseless animals as well?

These animals cannot speak about the cruelty, deprivation, torture and trauma that is inflicted upon them by the dog and cat meat traders and all their respective suppliers in South Korea. Please speak for them also! Thank you.